The race to become 2015 FIM Speedway World Champion starts in Polish capital Warsaw as the stunning Stadion Narodowy hosts the Lotto Warsaw FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Poland on April 18.

And if one of the country’s biggest ever speedway events wasn’t big enough, it will also see 2010 world champion Tomasz Gollob return to the SGP series as he was confirmed as the meeting wild card.

Since Poland’s national stadium was opened ahead of Euro 2012, it has become the home of the Polish national football team and is due to stage the UEFA Europa League Final in May. It has also hosted some of the world’s leading music artists including Paul McCartney, Madonna, Coldplay and Beyoncé. But it will be the first time the stadium has staged a motorsport event.

After signing a three-year deal with the PZM to take the event to the Stadion Narodowy, BSI Speedway managing director Paul Bellamy backed the Lotto Warsaw FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Poland to provide a spectacular opening to next year’s SGP series.

He said: “Given the popularity of speedway throughout Poland, it’s only fitting that our great sport is showcased on the country’s grandest stage. We’re delighted to be opening next year’s series at the Stadion Narodowy – a terrific venue with world-class facilities.

“There could not be a more fitting occasion for Tomasz Gollob to make his SGP wild card appearance and I’m sure fans will flock from all over the country to cheer him on and see him do what he does best.

“But there’s no doubt his fellow countrymen Krzysztof Kasprzak, Jaroslaw Hampel and Maciej Janowski will also be determined to steal the show on what will be one of the biggest nights of their careers so far.”

Andrzej Witkowski, president of the PZM, is elated the Polish speedway governing body’s efforts to showcase the sport in the national stadium have come to fruition.

He said: “I am very pleased the many years of hard work have paid off and we will have world-class speedway in Warsaw. Speedway is one of Poland’s leading sports and it deserves the backdrop of the nation’s capital city and one of Europe’s best stadiums.

"This will be the perfect occasion to thank one of our greatest speedway riders, Tomasz Gollob, for his long-term competition in FIM Speedway Grand Prix. We would like to take this opportunity to invite fans from across Poland and the world to the National Stadium on April 18 next year, because this day will go down in the annals of Polish speedway history.”

Tomasz Półgrabski, PL.2012+ president, says bringing the Lotto Warsaw FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Poland to the venue is another step forward for one of Europe’s most exciting new stadiums.

He said: “Since Euro 2012, we have continued to work hard to attract top-class sporting action and events to Stadion Narodowy. And in a country where speedway is one of our national sports, we simply had to have it at the national stadium.

“We look forward to working with BSI Speedway and the FIM to put on an unforgettable show for fans in Poland and around the world.

“This will be the first FIM Speedway Grand Prix round to take place in Poland under the cover of a fully retractable roof. So fans can book in confidence and know that whatever the weather, they will see a great night of racing in an incredible atmosphere.”